The social determinants of otitis media in aboriginal children in Australia: are we addressing the primary causes? A systematic content review
Abstract Background Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experience some of the highest rates of otitis media in the world. Key risk factors for otitis media in Aboriginal children in Australia are largely social and environmental factors such as overcrowded housing, poverty and limited ac...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-020-08570-3 |
| _version_ | 1818290179343908864 |
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| author | Jack DeLacy Tinashe Dune John J. Macdonald |
| author_facet | Jack DeLacy Tinashe Dune John J. Macdonald |
| author_sort | Jack DeLacy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experience some of the highest rates of otitis media in the world. Key risk factors for otitis media in Aboriginal children in Australia are largely social and environmental factors such as overcrowded housing, poverty and limited access to services. Despite this, little is known about how to address these risk factors. A scoping content review was performed to determine the relationship between social determinants of health and otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children as described by peer-reviewed and grey literature. Method Search terms were established for location, population and health condition. The search terms were used to conduct a literature search using six health research databases. Following the exclusion process, articles were scoped, analysed and categorised using scoping parameters and a social determinants of health framework. Results Housing-related issues were the most frequently reported determinants for otitis media (56%). Two articles (4%) directly investigated the impact of social determinants of health on rates of otitis media within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. The majority of the literature (68%) highlights social determinants as playing a key role in the high rates of otitis media seen in Aboriginal populations in Australia. There were no intervention studies targeting social determinants as a means to reduce otitis media rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Conclusions This review identifies a disconnect between otitis media drivers and the focus of public health interventions within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. Despite consensus that social determinants play a key role in the high rates of otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, the majority of intervention studies within the literature are focussed on biomedical approaches such as research on vaccines and antibiotics. This review highlights the need for otitis media intervention studies to shift away from a purely biomedical model and toward investigating the underlying social determinants of health. By shifting interventions upstream, otitis media rates may decrease within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, as focus is shifted away from a treatment-focussed model and toward a more preventative model. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T02:24:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-458ae33cd37e44e48b71efea8385c1a4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T02:24:03Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-458ae33cd37e44e48b71efea8385c1a42022-12-22T00:02:42ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582020-04-012011910.1186/s12889-020-08570-3The social determinants of otitis media in aboriginal children in Australia: are we addressing the primary causes? A systematic content reviewJack DeLacy0Tinashe Dune1John J. Macdonald2Children’s Hospital Westmead Clinical School, The University of Sydney & The Sax Institute (Study of Environment on Aboriginal Resilience and Child Health)School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney UniversitySchool of Health Sciences, Western Sydney UniversityAbstract Background Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experience some of the highest rates of otitis media in the world. Key risk factors for otitis media in Aboriginal children in Australia are largely social and environmental factors such as overcrowded housing, poverty and limited access to services. Despite this, little is known about how to address these risk factors. A scoping content review was performed to determine the relationship between social determinants of health and otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children as described by peer-reviewed and grey literature. Method Search terms were established for location, population and health condition. The search terms were used to conduct a literature search using six health research databases. Following the exclusion process, articles were scoped, analysed and categorised using scoping parameters and a social determinants of health framework. Results Housing-related issues were the most frequently reported determinants for otitis media (56%). Two articles (4%) directly investigated the impact of social determinants of health on rates of otitis media within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. The majority of the literature (68%) highlights social determinants as playing a key role in the high rates of otitis media seen in Aboriginal populations in Australia. There were no intervention studies targeting social determinants as a means to reduce otitis media rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Conclusions This review identifies a disconnect between otitis media drivers and the focus of public health interventions within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. Despite consensus that social determinants play a key role in the high rates of otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, the majority of intervention studies within the literature are focussed on biomedical approaches such as research on vaccines and antibiotics. This review highlights the need for otitis media intervention studies to shift away from a purely biomedical model and toward investigating the underlying social determinants of health. By shifting interventions upstream, otitis media rates may decrease within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, as focus is shifted away from a treatment-focussed model and toward a more preventative model.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-020-08570-3Otitis mediaEar diseaseHearingSocial determinants of healthAboriginal and Torres Strait islanderAboriginal |
| spellingShingle | Jack DeLacy Tinashe Dune John J. Macdonald The social determinants of otitis media in aboriginal children in Australia: are we addressing the primary causes? A systematic content review BMC Public Health Otitis media Ear disease Hearing Social determinants of health Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Aboriginal |
| title | The social determinants of otitis media in aboriginal children in Australia: are we addressing the primary causes? A systematic content review |
| title_full | The social determinants of otitis media in aboriginal children in Australia: are we addressing the primary causes? A systematic content review |
| title_fullStr | The social determinants of otitis media in aboriginal children in Australia: are we addressing the primary causes? A systematic content review |
| title_full_unstemmed | The social determinants of otitis media in aboriginal children in Australia: are we addressing the primary causes? A systematic content review |
| title_short | The social determinants of otitis media in aboriginal children in Australia: are we addressing the primary causes? A systematic content review |
| title_sort | social determinants of otitis media in aboriginal children in australia are we addressing the primary causes a systematic content review |
| topic | Otitis media Ear disease Hearing Social determinants of health Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Aboriginal |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-020-08570-3 |
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